


Bright Star

by perchromic (orphan_account)



Series: Morning Song [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Book 1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-04
Updated: 2014-02-04
Packaged: 2018-01-11 03:54:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1168363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/perchromic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Draco is rude, Pansy and Theodore take it upon themselves to break the ice at the Sorting Feast, and Hermione finds herself welcomed into the Slytherin gang.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bright Star

**Author's Note:**

> AU one-shot; can be read together or separate from the previous chapter.

Dinner had been a short affair. Apart from a warning about the third floor corridor, there hadn't been anything interesting in the Headmaster's speech. Which, of course, meant that everyone was buzzing about for the latest gossip and scandal.

Unfortunately for one Hermione Granger, _muggleborn_ , her sorting into Slytherin was what was keeping the entire school abuzz. Even as she kept her eyes trained on her plate of food, she could feel their glances and stares on her. She had no idea why everyone thought it was such a big deal; they certainly didn't whisper when anyone else got sorted, apart from Harry Potter, and that was understandable. Even the boy across from her was staring at her, and she found it extremely rude of him to do so.

"You should stop staring. It's rude and I don't appreciate it." The whispers intensified as she spoke to him, and all of a sudden Hermione found herself wishing she had asked for Ravenclaw when the Hat had asked her to make a decision after all. The boy - who had a head of white-blond hair and slate grey eyes - merely arched an eyebrow at her, apparently unimpressed with her brief scolding. She turned back to her plate, fully intending to ignore everyone else until they got back to their dormitories.

"So that's what your muggle parents taught you, Granger? Bad manners?" Hermione immediately bristled, and looked up to glare at him. His name was something fancy and foreign - Malfi, or Malfay, or something. A name that marked him as decidedly magical. And she knew her own surname was plain, even if her first name wasn't - but on what basis was this stranger even allowed to make fun of her parents like this? A few of their fellow year mates were beginning to stare, but Hermione refused to back down or be made an example of.

"I'm not the one insulting a new housemate after meeting her for less than an hour." She shot back the insult at him, trying to keep her voice composed. A look of anger flashed on his pale face, but then she watched as he seemed to soften. His eyes regarded her with intense suspicion, and she glared back, not wanting to break eye contact or look intimidated.

"You speak like a Slytherin, even if you are of muggle breed." She bit her lip at the last part of his sentence, swallowing a fierce retort. She wasn't a dog or animal to be bred for sport. What was so wrong in this world that her bloodline could be of such importance? Weren't they here to learn, and not play politics?

"Well, I was sorted into Slytherin. So I suppose I should take that as a compliment, Malfoy." Yes, _Malfoy_ , that was his name. No sooner had she uttered the words that the boy to Malfoy's right let out a snigger, and clapped him on the back. Malfoy's cheeks flushed with the slightest tinge of red, even as he shoved the boy back.

"Good try at intimidating her, Draco. But leave off. She's one of us now, muggleborn or not." The boy, who looked gangly and slightly too skinny for his uniform, stuck out a hand towards Hermione. She eyed it warily, unsure if this was some kind of trap. Malfoy looked as if he would throw up, however, and just to get a rise out of him, she jovially shook the new boy's hand.

"I'm Theo Nott. Pureblood, like the rest of our year - except you of course. You're not a pureblood, not even a half. Which makes you doubly rare. But you're a Slytherin, now, and we're true to our creed, aren't we Draco?" Malfoy looked as if he might have killed Nott right then. Hermione was still processing his words, unsure if he was being kind or not. But she was saved the trouble of a response when the girl sitting next to Hermione gave a loud snort. Hermione turned to see a slight, dark-haired girl with a face that looked squashed in.

"I suppose Nott is right. Even if you are a muggleborn, you're in Slytherin now. That Hat must have seen something in you that made you worthy of us." She too held out a pale, thin hand, which Hermione very gladly shook. It was overwhelming - she had spent years without friends, and it had felt as if her next seven years here would be the same. But despite the cold welcome from Malfoy - who still looked angry and sour - the rest of her year mates seemed to be fairly alright.

"I'm Pansy Parkinson. Theo's too dim to have introduced the rest of us, so that's Millicent down there, talking to Crabbe, Tracey and Goyle. The girl on your other side is Daphne. The sour-face opposite you is Draco, and you've just met Theo of course. And Blaise is the idiot sitting next to Theo." Hermione thought Millicent had been a seventh-year at first - she was huge, with broad shoulders and a thick, square face. Crabbe and Goyle looked quite indistinct, and, she privately thought, somewhat dim, as they were squinting as if to concentrate on what Millicent was saying. Tracey was olive-skinned and dwarfed by her friends - she had a pair of thin spectacles perched on the bridge of her long nose, and a long, skinny face that looked pinched and drawn. Daphne was, in stark contrast, already very beautiful, with dark curls that bounced as she nodded a greeting. Blaise was tall and dark-skinned, towering over Theo and Malfoy even while they were seated. He gave her a small nod, and she nodded back shyly.

Hermione turned back to find Draco staring intently at her once more. This time, emboldened by Theo and Pansy's effective endorsement, she was the one who arched a brow at him.

"You have some nerve, muggleborn. But I suppose Theo's right. So let's start over." Malfoy held out a hand, his pale fingers waiting.

"Hello. I'm Draco Malfoy. And welcome to Slytherin."


End file.
